NEW ORLEANS—South Dakota men's track and field is ranked No. 24 in the nation by the U.S. Track and Field/Cross Country Coaches Association as released Monday afternoon. This marks the third-straight week USD's men are in the top-25, with the Coyotes moving up one spot from a week ago.
 
Highlighting the Coyotes' competition at the South Dakota Challenge was senior Zack Anderson's nation-leading mark in the high jump.
 
Anderson cleared a personal best 7-5 (2.26m), reaching the Olympic Trials qualifying mark and tying for the national lead. The three-time All-American leads the nation's No. 1 high jump squad to an average height of 7-feet. Redshirt-sophomore Jack Durst jumped a season best 6-11 ¾ (2.13m) on Saturday to rank 33rd in the country. Redshirt-junior Blake Vande Hoef and redshirt-freshman Marshall Faurot also recorded personal bests Saturday, jumping 6-9 ¾ (2.08m). While the USTFCCA's event squad rankings only take the average of four athletes, redshirt-junior Travis Larson made 6-9 (2.06m) earlier this season and ranks fifth in the Summit League standings behind his teammates.
 
The Coyotes also have the nation's second-ranked pole vault squad with an average height of 17-9 ¾. Senior Ethan Bray and freshman Eerik Haamer, All-Americans at the indoor meet, lead the group as the respective sixth- and 10th-ranked vaulters in the nation. In addition to his high jump personal best on Saturday, Faurot recorded a personal best in the pole vault by clearing 17-6 ½ (5.35m). He ranks 23rd in the country with the height. Senior Kaleb Ellis also notched a personal best Saturday, jumping 17-2 ¾ (5.25m) and moved to 32nd in the national standings.
 
Redshirt-freshman Brithton Senior has not raced since the outdoor opener, but his clocking of 13.54 seconds from the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays remains seventh in the nation. The men's 4x100-meter relay also ranks 39th nationally.
 
Freshman Demar Francis clocked a collegiate best of 46.68 seconds to move into the nation's top-50 for the 400 meters.
 
The Coyotes are scheduled to compete at the Sioux City Relays this weekend. The collegiate competition will be held Friday, with the first event beginning at 11 a.m., at Olsen Stadium in Sioux City, Iowa.